Recognizing Change
by Galaxy Eclipse
Summary: A request given to me by bl00dshy for Natsu x Erza. It's a one-shot around 1,000 words.


**Alright, the request is finally getting up! Thanks to a lovely reviewer it was brought to my attention that this chapter was showing up as a bunch of random symbols.**

**I don't personally ship this pairing, but I did my best for you bl00dshy!**

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Ever since Jellal had joined the guild Erza had noticed that her team had been drifting farther and farther apart. Lucy was more confident about her abilities, and went on many solo jobs. Leo was almost always by her side, whether by her command or not. Oddly she didn't seem to mind that much anymore. In fact the one day he wasn't next to her the blonde seemed on edge.

Gray and Juvia were also spending a lot more time out on jobs together, to no one's surprise. Really the entire guild had been waiting behind the scenes for them to get together. The only person that confused her was Natsu. They had always been good friends, but her feelings about him were mixed up into one jumbled mess.

In the first few days that her old friend had joined the guild she had stuck close to his side, making sure that he fit in with the rest of the guild family. From the start she was scared that he would get bullied for having a questionable past. As it turned out no one had any problems, so after catching up they spent a normal amount of time together.

But even though she had made many attempts to go on jobs with her team, the redhead was always left alone. Going solo on S class missions wasn't quite the same after being with Natsu. He was always so vibrant, in ways more than one.

The piercing onyx that was his eyes shot through all that opposed Fairy Tail, making them internally cower despite their magical rank. The familial ties he had with everyone in the guild were so special, something that wasn't easily attained. There couldn't be another wizard in all of Fiore that cared for his friends more than the fire dragon slayer.

Raw power dredged to the surface to protect everything that he held dear. That white scarf… Miraculously unstained even after the beatings it had sustained over the years. The bright light that entered Natsu's eyes whenever he had a lead on Igneel… That sense of hope that drove him onward even after being told over and over again that his dragon was dead.

The caring courage that he had extended to her after narrowly escaping death on the Tower of Heaven still shook her to the core. The way he had looked at her that day was something that she could never dream to replicate, even in her wildest dreams. Her memory couldn't be giving that single moment the credit it deserved. That cheerful smile even when on the brink of death… It made her soul tremble.

That particular day the mage had decided the make something happen, positive or not. So she marched over to the moping dragon slayer and yanked him up by his elbow.

"Get up off your lazy butt and go on a job with me." Not her best, but she could have said worse.

"No." She stared at him. "I don't wanna."

"Natsu you sound like a two year old," she scolded.

"I don't care. I said no." Giving in to temptation the scarlet haired woman threw him across the guild hall. Not like it was going to hurt him any. Glowering in his general direction she ascended the stairs to where the S class mission board was. So what if she was going on another job alone? Erza didn't care. At least that's what she tried to tell herself.

-xXVXx-

Sitting on the train later that day she thought about how close Natsu was to Lucy and Lisanna. There were a few bets going around as to which of the girls would get to the salmon haired wizard first. So far Lisanna had the upper hand having known Natsu longer and even had a "pretend marriage" in their childhood. That didn't mean that the guild members thought that Lucy was that far behind. Ever since meeting her Natsu had been fascinated, never leaving her side, forming his first ever team with her and encouraging her through familial issues of hers.

Neither of them was going to win.

'Wait,' the redhead's brain halted her train of thought. 'Why would I think that? Do I… Feel something for him…?' Shaking her head Erza Scarlet tried to forget, but the seed of knowledge was planted. And knowledge can very well become obsession.

-xXVXx-

Immediately after returning to the guild she sought out Natsu, unsure of any ulterior motives that might be prompting her to act. She just wanted to spend time with him, whether it was spent negatively or not. When the redhead didn't find him in five minutes she decided to give up and head for Fairy Hills, feeling depressed and lonely.

To her surprise the very person she had been looking for was just being kicked out of the girls-only dorm with his Exceed friend in tow. Happy was allowed in the dorm because regardless of being male he was also a cat. Natsu however… What illusion had he been using to even think that he would be permitted to enter the building?

Smiling at the stupid mistakes that the fire mage tended to make Erza tapped his shoulder.

"What do you think you need in the girl's dorm?" Whatever it was she might as well go grab it for him. Probably something dumb like he smelled a delicious flame inside. Shockingly he started to blush lightly, and turned away. Well this was new.

The gentle rose color was slowly merging into a deeper red by the time he finally answered.

"I was looking for you," he muttered. "I wanted to see you and spend some time together. Ever since that guy joined to guild you've only looked at him. You have other friends too!"

Calmly she wrapped her arms around him.

"Jellal is special to me because of our past, but so are all of my other Fairy Tail friends. The feats we've achieved together could never be replicated. Nothing could ever replace my family; especially you Natsu."


End file.
